Advance Review: Wanted – A Replacement for The Antichrist In ‘The Infernals’ #1
by Tom Smithyman
Overview
An intriguing premise and some great visuals make this a new book worthy of consideration. Part King Lear, Succession, and The Omen, the story promise plenty of backstabbing (maybe literally) on top of an impending apocolypse.
Overall
8.5/10In business, it’s said that anyone is replaceable. But when that someone is literally the son of Satan, the search for a successor becomes a little more complicated.
That’s the premise of the upcoming series The Infernals, written by Noah Gardner and Ryan Parrott and beautifully illustrated by John J. Pearson. Abraham Morgenstern is literally the Antichrist – and he’s dying of cancer. As Morgenstern says, “My old man sent me here to end the world. But instead…the apocalypse is within me.”
At the behest of his adviser, he must choose one of his children to carry on his nefarious work. And the pickings are pretty slim. There’s the playboy psycho Nero, Jackal the revolutionary, and Baphomet, the young schoolgirl with a black heart. It’s not exactly The Brady Bunch. Think of it more like King Lear meets Succession. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. The son of Satan has only a month to live.
Gardner and Parrott give readers an interesting premise. While the Antichrist is a common enough character, having him buy the farm because he’s smoked too much is a nice touch. And his search for an heir is pretty intriguing. The kids are clearly no saints, which makes Morgenstern’s eventual choice – and the journey over his next month – an interesting one.
Calling Pearson’s illustrations heavenly would betray the spirit of the series, but they are fantastic. Nearly every panel is painted with a radiant light source. And each of the children have their own distinct look – including adding a massive serpent tattoo on Nero – making it easy to differentiate them. There are a few sequences, though, where it is difficult to understand the action and may require several re-reads.
The issue ends on a confusing note, as well, which is meant to set up another of the series’ conflicts. The confusion will likely be resolved in the next issue, though it does leave an odd taste in the readers’ mouths. Still, it gives Pearson one more opportunity to show off his work.
The Infernals #1 will be available for purchase on February 14, 2024.
